Morpheuspa, don't you grow citrus trees? Many here have them inside until they can go out.

Can't wait for spring.

MIke

Here is a quick video on my citrus.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQq4Drqr1qo

Citrus instead of just trees, no problem. :-) My baby pomegranate, late November start. It's just beginning to grow in earnest, and I'm looking forward to that stem actually becoming a stem shortly.

It's in sunlight, but that white thing is half an old canvas board, holding up 40 watts of LED lighting it gets from the time I get up to the sun shining in the office, and sunset to bedtime. Note the snow just melting out there...and the ageratum friend to the right. :-)

Hope everyone is doing well.

My Nagami has flushed out with all new leaves, and is starting to get large. Can't easily get a photo of the whole tree. Haven't yet decided how big I'm going to let it get.

New addition to the collection: Makrut Lime. Plan to keep this guy little as I'm growing it for the leaves. Still recovering from shipping as it sat out in 38 degrees for about 4 hours when I first got it after taking three days longer in shipping than expected.

And not a citrus, but my prebonsai fig is starting to flush out nicely.

I'll post a picture of the fukushu the next time I move it out to clean its corner.

Ichang papeda

seedling from an Ichang papeda x trifoliate hybrid

seedling from an Ichang papeda x kumquat hybrid

survived outside (unprotected) in Olympia, WA, climate zone 8a

had 15 inches of snow in February that fell around the 11th, but no snow before then.

Little Keraji mandarin seedling in the ground. It's less than 2 inches tall right now. It will start greening up more around June and put on a little bit of growth, like it did last year.

Normal citrus can't survive if left outside here during the winter, so bear in mind these are special unusual/rare varieties.

Bonsai, I love the coloring on the leaves, so rich and green. That Mukrut lime. The leaves look almost like a Kaffir lime, Very nice, What kind of mix are you using? Looks like a 5.1.1 of some sort? What kind of bark? Very healthy. Fig? Ha. You should see mines. Waking up two months earlier than usual with fruit. Going to have to take them off my cold porch and squeeze them into my greenhouse so that they get lots of warm light until they can go outside up against my house . I don't want to loose the breba crop. That is the one that ripens early for me in my area.

Socal, what zone do you live in? Interesting how those little guys survive the cold like that. That is just amazing. Please keep us posted on the progress will you?

Morpheuspa , Noted, the snow that is. lol It's the first thing I noticed then your little plant. That is a beauty. I hope it grows big for you and stays happy. Looking real nice thus far. That's a lot of light. It should be mighty happy until you put it outside. Will you come spring and warm enough? How cold can they take it?

"Will you come spring and warm enough? How cold can they take it?"

Yep, it'll oscillate indoors and out in April when days get a little more steady (post adjustment). Most pomegranate are relatively cold-hardy and can actually tolerate occasional winter lows of around 18 (some go as low as 10 or so)! I still won't let them go below freezing, which is fine as they're native to the tropics, sub-tropics, and sub-temperate zones.

The Ageratum is aging fast and will probably reach the end of its first lifespan come May or so. I'll give it a hard cutback and see if I can double its lifespan (I usually can) through summer. Come fall, I dump the soil, and start again in September with a spent set of seeds from the old one. If not, one of the ones I'm growing now will go into the pot for summer instead. I have 96, so diverting one is not a great loss...

Mike,

It is a kaffir, makrut's another name for it. Since I can't make my own mix (no storage and buying components in small bags can get expensive quick), I spent a bit of time looking into different premade bagged mixes in my area. Eventually settled on G&B organics that is a mix of pumice, recycled forest products, bark fines, and a few other amendments. It's a nice mix and doesn't stay overly wet. The trees seem to like it.

My fig is still rather small, I had to remove a lot of it last year when I took it on. It had somehow gotten pushed to the back of the greenhouse it lived in and got soaked. Lost most of the root and had dead leaves when I got it. I had to remove 3/4 of the height, everything except the main tap root, and then repotted and hoped for the best. Right now I'm keeping it small. What variety is yours? The one I have is some kind of green fig. They turn a rich green when ripe, are very bright red inside, and very, very sweet. I have no idea the variety.

Ours are hanging in there - a few look like they could use some nutrients.

This is the larger of our two Kaffir/Makrut trees.

Algerian tangerine

Valencia

Navel

Tahitian lime

Key lime

eureka lemon

From left to right - Tahitian lime, Valencia orange, Meyer Lemon, Eureka Lemon. In front are key limes with Kaffir/Makrut in the center.

Hey Mike, here’s a few pics of my trees and fruit. For some reason Houzz has decided to flip some of my photos.

Meyer lemon blooms, as always a very prolific producer.

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

Oro blanco is holding fruit and blooming

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

variegated Chimera on my cara cara navel orange

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

Another shot of the chimera, notice the regular leaves behind the variegated leaves

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

cocktail pomelo blooms, they are extremely pungent and sweet smelling

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

Oro blanco fruits ripe and ready, even if they’re defying gravity

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

And last but certainly not least, our sunset on Sunday was spectacular And there is citrus in the foreground so I felt it was still a “citrus pic”. The photo is untouched and unfiltered, this is exactly what the sky looked like.

Citrus Early March 2021 · More Info

Evan

Great pictures Evan!

I was interested to hear that your meyer lemon was prolific. We are on our third, having lost two previously. We planted number 3 in a large pot 14 months ago when we purchased it. It is doing alright, and we got a handful of fruit this year. My father in law, in Laguna, has a very prolific in ground meyer. He is a few miles more inland than we are and likely gets more heat.

Thanks Lynda, I had a meyer on C35 that didn’t make it, this current Meyer is on volkamer and is about 7’Hx7’W and doing very well. They do like the heat and dry climate but I think they should do well in a more coastal climate too. If you harvested a few lemons this season than you’ll probably get triple that next season, once they start producing the annual yield becomes greater and greater With each season.

Evan

Volkamer probably has better compatibility than C35 for a lemon (not that C35 is considered incompatible).

You said you're in 9b. Do regular lemons grow well there, or only Meyer?

SoCal, regular lemons do fantastic here, there is over 4,300 acres of lemons commercially grown in the Coachella Valley as of 2018 according to this report (It’s probably more now).

https://www.cvwd.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/779

My regular eureka is also very prolific, it’s my grocery store for lemons, I leave them on there and pick as needed all winter and spring. My variegated eureka is not as productive but that’s probably because its more sensitive to the high heat here.

This is my regular eureka also on volkamer, it’s still hanging onto probably 30-40 lbs of lemons.

Evan

I am 9b also and Eureka is a huge producer here too. Most homes have one and much of our foothills are covered with groves of commercial lemons. My issues seem to be unique to the meyer lemon.

My Kishu is setting buds:) I can’t wait to taste this one!

My Page mandarin ♥️

Evan I wrote a whole long paragraph to you a few days back came here and don't see it. It must of never posted((. I wanted to say UNBELIEVABLE on the sky and the amount of Oro Blanco there. I can not even get more than one stem of my Oro to grow and it's been two years. What I would do to be able to bury it in the ground. I can't believe how beautiful and everything else besides. I would love to spend some time with you sitting out in your yard buddy. Just incredible. Thanks for always sharing especially the sky. You know me)

Steve, not bad after a very long and tiring winter. So aggravating to see it warm up for a day and then look at the next ten day forecast and see nothing but lower temps. I'm getting tired.

Cupcake, you are a newbie here. Welcome and such beautiful trees you have there. Good work. I can see the buds. Wait until you eat that fruit. So sweet!

Lynda, that is a hello of a lot lemons, my goodness. I am impressed. You must love that. I can only imagine how good it smelled there when that tree wan in flower..

Bonsai, my figs are all waking up a month early!!! I have no idea what to do. lol. Great that you found a good mix. That's what it's all about, right? Nice job too. What you said about the the green figs is interesting. Do they ripen early summer or late? Do you have a pic from last year? Could be an Iesha one? When it get big enough to send a cutting, please do) I have several, I would have to look at the labels once I get them outside and read them to you. I love growing these. I even have an in ground Chicago Hardy that gave me over 100 ripe very sweet figs. I was in heaven with that one. IT is about 8 feet tall now. I wrap it every winter and I can wait to unwrap it asap. I have to wait until at least April. So frustrating to have to wait so long.

Mike, unfortunately I won't have a picture of the fruit until this one produces, but I know the fruit because this tree is a cutting from the fig tree that grew in front of my childhood home. It usually produced twice a year, usually a breba in April/May and again in August/September. It always produced so many fruits that we had to give away baskets full every year. I'll definitely post a photo when it produces the first time. But I have always wanted to know what kind of fig it is. I'll definitely send a cutting if it ever gets big enough to.

Hey, Mike!

My citrus are doing pretty well! The Meyer is always fussy this time of year, but I see new growth and blooms forming all over. My variegated pink Eureka lemon handled the Winter wonderfully and is looking excellent, also with new growth and blooms forming. My Moro is recovering from the devastating deer attack last Fall with new growth all over the plant. And, as a bonus, I have some Jade cuttings happily growing in its container. I'm also including a pic of my Moro blood orange seedling.

I completed a trim back of my key lime tree today. My other trees needed some sunlight!

Edited my post to include a before photo, had to dig way back to November to find one

I harvested a couple fruit today.

Josh good to see you’re still around, here are some blood oranges from my tree I planted thanks to your blood orange influence.

Oro Blancos

Tango mandarins

the resulting tango juice from 38 fruit = just under 1 liter

And some Meyer lemons

Evan

Evan: How long does it take for Oro Blanco to mature and ripen? Do yours bloom year-round or have a distinct season?

Dave it blooms from late February into mid March and the fruits are harvestable in December. They will hang on the tree into April/ May, after that they start desiccating and rotting on the tree.

Josh, what a great surprise to see you))) Looks like your trees are still doing great and I remember that time when the deer did all that damage. Looking great my friend and that jade is certainly a nice treat)

Thanks for stopping by my years old friend!

Evan , you could almost sell them to market and make a killing. I can't believe all that fruit. I'll bet you never get sick taking all that vitamin C. I love the color of the blood oranges. Which of all is the sweetest, less acidic?

Love the Oro Blanco in every way))

Bonsai, just the fig tree I am looking for. Two crops and an early riper. Was the fruit really sweet? Thank you))

Mike lol, my wife always jokes that opening a fruit stand is our retirement plan. We will be the old couple selling fruit at the off ramp by the freeway.

Great harvest Evan!

I was thinking that your key lime didn't look anything like mine until I saw the 'before' picture. Mine grows like crazy and steals all the light from its neighbors (my two mandarins). We may need to give ours a similar "trim".

Lynda I “hate” my key lime tree. I always end up with cuts everywhere when I trim that beast. That’s why I only do it every couple years. I have a second key lime that I planted on accident that I’m dreading trimming this season but it needs to happen because it’s getting huge and is starting to block the sun from other neighboring trees. it’s definitely a love hate relationship with these trees sometimes.

As promised: my fukushu kumquat. It is recovering nicely after the run-in with the couch at new years, lots of new growth.

Mike: The figs, as I remember them, were very sweet. They were almost too sweet for my tastes though very good. Only thing I know about the tree was that the original, which the one I grew up with came from, had been planted some time in the 50s or 60s and was a cutting from another, even older tree. The person who kept that one doesn't remember what variety it was, though still gets far too many figs from their tree every year.

Lynda, I noticed you have some fruit from your makrut/kaffir in your bowl. I was curious about what the fruit can be used for?

Evan, awesome harvest and trees, definitely always makes me wish I could grow in ground!

Most of my trees suffered severe sun (primarily sun+heat) damage last year. Temps went from 75*F to 90*F as soon as June 1st hit and stayed there for weeks.

I lost several prime grafts; for the plants that survived, I had one flush this fall because of light conditions. Now they're starting to take off, finally!

Last surviving Kishu mandarin:

Plant room:

I noticed that when the scion died back because of conditions, the rootstock generally held on and grew after a major dieback. Is that rejection or survival? I don't know.

-Tom

@bonsai_citrus_and_indoor_gardening, I was asking the same thing not too long ago. We have two Kaffir/Makrut trees which now produce fruit year round. My favorite thing to make with them is Thai green curry paste, which uses the juice, rind and/or leaves. I make a large batch and put it into ice cube trays, freeze and then store in zip lock bags. When the craving for curry hits, we stir fry whatever meat or vegetables we have on hand, add 2 - 3 cubes of frozen curry paste with a can of coconut cream, simmer and then serve over rice. Here is the recipe for the paste:

1 stalk lemongrass
2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tsp Brown Sugar
4-6 Green Chillies, deseeded (adjust as per to taste)
1 small Onion/Shallot
1-2 large Garlic Cloves
1 tsp Kaffir Lime Zest
1 tbsp Kaffir Lime Juice
1 thumb-size piece Ginger
1 cup Cilantro stems and leaves
1 cup fresh Basil stems and leaves

Mix well, using a food processor, blender or by hand. I modify the recipe by amping up the juice & zest and I sometimes add in the leaves.

The juice is great in savory asian dishes, but is far too strong a taste for cocktails or desserts. I use the juice with a white fish (see this recipe - https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/seared-cod-with-makrut-lime-butter), as part of Tom Yum soup, or to season and garnish Pad Thai. They are featured in many Thai dishes.

Lynda,

Good to know! And thanks for the recipes, I'll definitely try them once I get fruit. The seared cod sounds amazing!

Valencia

Murcott mandarin

Hey guys, things are going nuts here. A few days in the greenhouse reaching 90F. Hope all is well. Spring in coming if not already here for some! Pics from today March 16.

The citrus that is in the ground have been there for one year now.

Hamlin orange

Ponderosa

yellow fig

Bonsai, that sounds like a promising fig to plant here in my area. Can't thank you enough. When it warms up I think a cutting will be easy to root here. Love sweet)))

Matt, great job. I like all those flowers you have there. It is a wonderful feeling to all of a sudden see how nice and warm our greenhouses get this time of the year. On a sunny day, even if it's 22 degrees out like yesterday, it got up to 92 degrees in there. It felt so good to walk around in there with just a t-shirt. Froze when I came out though. lol Your fig have fruit? Do you get that tree to provide ripe fruit for you? Nice looking Valencia orange. Must of been sweet.

Lynda, thank you for sharing that recipe here. Sounds so good.

@myermike_1micha That is nice to see a font change ahaha :D Thanks! sweet weather right!! There's only a handful who have those climate inside another climate and it's so rewarding. Here's hoping for early fruit sets for us all. The fig does fruit but nothing on it yet. Only got a few figs last year- due to transplanting it to a different spot. There should have ripening figs by late May or June. Someone here helped id it last year as yellow long neck fig.